09: How Motivational Interviewing Changes the Brain with Dr. Tony Mele
b"As therapists, we hear about Motivational Interviewing (MI) all the time. It's a technique that therapists can use to bring forward the ambivalence that a person with an addiction has, towards resolving that addiction. It's well regarded and it's a fairly well-researched intervention for people with addictions, but still, a lot of the people looking for treatment, or even those who have been in treatment, don't really seem to know what it is, or why we would use it in a treatment setting.\\xa0\\nToday's guest, Dr Tony Mele, is the Chief Clinical Officer at\\xa0Sovereign Health. He's on the show today\\xa0because he came to our agency recently and did an incredible training on Motivational Interviewing, where he was able to really go in depth and look at how Motivational Interviewing actually works with the brain, to bring about change. Listen in to find out more about what Motivational Interviewing is all about and how it can be used effectively, within the treatment setting.\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\nShow highlights:\\n\\xa0\\n\\nDr Mele gives some important information about Motivational Interviewing.\\n\\nDr Mele explains the ambivalence within people with addictions.\\n\\nMany people with addictions will describe a loss, when asked about what life without addiction would be like for them.\\n\\nMI could be described as a language, to help the patient to begin looking at their own behaviour differently.\\n\\nDr Mele describes in practical terms, how one would converse with a patient, using MI to bring their contradictions to the forefront.\\n\\nDr Mele explains cognitive dissonance, which you will wind up facing, as a therapist using MI.\\n\\nIf cognitive dissonance doesn't come up in therapy, you will maintain the addiction, so as a therapist, you want the patient to feel the discomfort that it brings.\\n\\nWorking with the patient in the decision-making process.\\n\\nThe link between the emotional centre (the amygdala) and the memory centre (the hippocampus) in the brain.\\xa0\\n\\nAddiction produces a positive feeling, so as a therapist, you need to help the people to begin to think differently.\\n\\nHow MI differs from the 'old school' treatment.\\xa0\\n\\nDopamine and addicted behaviour.\\xa0\\n\\nThe assumptions that are associated with the MI technique.\\n\\nThere is a fair amount of cognitive skill, which is required on the part of the patient, to effectively use MI.\\n\\nSome examples of Motivational Interviewing questions.\\n\\n\\xa0\\n\\n\\nSupport this podcast at \\u2014 https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donations\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"